


I've already got a hot water bottle

by Codango



Series: Natsu's Going to Hell [2]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Caretaking, F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Menstruation, Sharing a Bed, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-21
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-27 09:54:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5043811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Codango/pseuds/Codango
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levy had helped him with the words: "One human-sized hot water bottle to be delivered to Lucy Heartfilia on XX of ____. Dragons preferred."</p><p>“Dragons preferred, it says,” Natsu pointed out helpfully. “Mira said I was perfect for the job.”</p><p>Lucy scanned him up and down. “Uhhh. I don’t…”</p><p>Natsu frowned. “Aw, come on, Luce, you feel like crap, right?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	I've already got a hot water bottle

**Author's Note:**

> For the "Comfort" prompt for NaLu Love Fest 2015.

“I got a job, Luce.”

Lucy started, then laid back against the couch as she registered who had just barged through her door. “Natsu. I am never going to train you to knock first, am I?”

Natsu frowned at her. Her voice held way less irritation than it should. But that was to be expected. “Luce. Job.” He waved a piece of paper at her.

Groaning, she slid her feet to the floor. “I thought you said you were gonna let me off the hook this week.” But she stood and shuffled to him. “What’s so important that the Salamander changes his mind?”

Natsu studied her. Dark circles, gray skin, and the sweatpants she only wore once a month. “Super important,” he agreed, handing her the paper. He bit his lip. _Levy, you better be right about this, or I’m gonna get slapped._

Lucy read the ad. Blinked. She read it again. Frowned. She looked up at him. “Natsu? What…?”

Levy had helped him with the words. _One human-sized hot water bottle to be delivered to Lucy Heartfilia on XX of ____. Dragons preferred._

“Dragons preferred, it says,” Natsu pointed out helpfully. “Mira said I was perfect for the job.”

Lucy scanned him up and down. “Uhhh. I don’t…”

Natsu frowned. “Aw, come on, Luce, you feel like crap, right?”

She blushed. “Well. _Yes._ But I still don’t see —”

“Levy said heat helps.” He grinned and pumped his fist. “And I’m hot, right? Where do you need me?”

Lucy made a weird choking sound. “Natsu,” she managed. “I’ve already got a hot water bottle.”

“Not nearly as good as me.”

“I usually take it to bed.”

Natsu paused. He had sort of just imagined maybe curling up behind her on the couch or something. “O… kaay.”

“And then lay it on my stomach.”

“I… can do that.” _This is for Lucy, flame brain, not for you. Or your little dragon. Chill._

Lucy blew out a breath and rolled her eyes. She slapped the ad on his chest. “Go home, Natsu. Let me wallow in my misery in peace.”

“Hey, you know you sleep better when I’m here,” he protested. It was one of the few reasons his idiotic hope refused to die. “Just… let’s get you off your couch and into bed, yeah?” _Not blushing, not blushing, nobody’s blushing._ “Maybe you want some tea or something?”

Lucy dragged her blanket off the couch and laughed weakly. “You can’t make tea.”

“Whatever! I am _fabulous_ at boiling water. And you have tea bags, right? Even I can’t mess that up.”

She sighed heavily but turned in the direction of her room. “You know where everything is.”

Natsu heard her flump onto her bed. He forced himself to walk over to the tiny stove. By the time he carried an overbrewed cup of tea into her bedroom, he had almost managed to calm down.

The room was dim with her curtains drawn, but he could see Lucy curled up on top of her quilt, hugging an enormous hot water bottle. Her eyes were shut, and a faint grimace turned her lips down at the corners.

“Luce.” He set the tea on her nightstand and leaned over her. “It’s probably not the best you’ve ever had.”

She cracked open one eye. “Mm. Sorry, Natsu. Think I’m just gonna lay here and continue to die, if you don’t mind.”

“Well, geez, idiot, get under the covers then. No one wants to see a corpse’s bare feet.” He grabbed the quilt.

“Your bedside manner sucks balls,” Lucy muttered, but she sat up.

Natsu caught the water bottle as it fell to the floor. “The fuck? This is cold! Sure, you got a hot water bottle. That Gray filled for you.” He jabbed a finger for her to get under the quilt. 

“Ugh.” Lucy squirmed deep between the sheets and curled into a fetal position. “Don’t care. Can’t care.”

Natsu bit his lip. And slid under the quilt.

“Hey!” Lucy glanced over her shoulder. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Shut up.” He grabbed her shoulder and coaxed her, perhaps not very gently, onto her back.

“Um. Natsu?”

He wondered if his face was glowing in the dark. He settled himself very carefully on top of her, keeping just enough of his weight off while still covering her core. “Shh,” he said again.

He closed his eyes and breathed in slowly. His awareness filled with her scent: her sheets, her pain, her skin. He focused around it, imagined all of her elements forming a warm ball deep in his gut. Natsu exhaled, soft and controlled, letting the heat slowly build. He coaxed warmth to his arms and into his hands, down his calves and to the soles of his feet. But where his stomach lay across hers, he focused a strong, glowing heat. He pictured it radiating from his skin, past her hips, and deep into her being.

Her shoulders lost their tension underneath him, and Natsu imagined himself growing heavier, pressing out all of her pain. As the seconds wore on under his gentle heat, he felt her entire body melt. He grinned to himself, his head resting in the crook of her neck. _Told ya I’m better than a damned water bottle._

A sound made his eyes fly open. A deep, throaty sigh. Natsu stared into the pillow for several seconds, not daring to move. After a few moments of silence, he lifted his head. And nearly bit his tongue in half.

Lucy’s head was tilted back over a pillow, eyes closed, mouth open, dead to the world. Her arms curled above her head, a halo for her loose blonde hair. All signs of pain were gone from her face, her cheeks pink with his warmth.

Natsu swallowed hard. He forced his head back down to rest on her shoulder. It was a relief, he told himself, that she could finally sleep well.

He’d be able to sleep again next month, maybe.

**Author's Note:**

> [@codango](http://codango.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr
> 
> [Marcella Christie](http://marcellachristie.com/) for my alter ego


End file.
